Intestinal Ultrasound for Monitoring Postoperative Crohn's Disease: A Review and Visual Atlas.

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Medical Imaging
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Postoperative recurrence (POR) of Crohn's disease (CD) is a significant clinical challenge despite therapeutic advances.
• Current surveillance relies on colonoscopy, an invasive procedure with potential patient discomfort and compliance issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide practical guidance on using intestinal ultrasound (IUS) for postoperative surveillance of Crohn's disease.
• To detail techniques for visualizing and assessing the ileocolic anastomosis using IUS.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature and clinical experience regarding IUS for CD surveillance.
• Description of sonographic landmarks and grayscale IUS techniques for ileocolic anastomosis evaluation.

Main Results:

• IUS is a reliable, noninvasive alternative for monitoring CD at the point of care.
• Specific guidance is provided for identifying the ileocolic anastomosis and its sonographic features.
• IUS demonstrates excellent accuracy for evaluating POR.

Conclusions:

• IUS is a valuable tool for routine postoperative surveillance of Crohn's disease.
• Mastering IUS techniques for the ileocolic anastomosis can improve patient monitoring and management.
• Integrating IUS into surveillance protocols can enhance the detection of postoperative recurrence.